John A. De Frasia spent 2½ months building a half-size replica of the HMS Bounty. He used it to entertain generations of Lakewood revelers, from blue-hairs to Goths.

At his Piccadilly Square restaurant, which opened in 1968, De Frasia served drinks in the captain's quarters and meals on the quarterdeck. At the Phantasy Nite Club, which began in the 1970s, he separated the front and rear halves of the 24-foot ship to improve the view.

He died Jan. 4 at home in Rocky River. He was 91.

De Frasia was born in Punxsatawney, Pa., and moved to Cleveland at age 4. He became a Seabee during World War II and earned a Purple Heart from shrapnel wounds at Saipan.

He spent 25 years as foreman with Emerson Construction. He worked at Higbee's in Westgate, the Cleveland Museum of Art, the Cleveland Clinic and more.

Then he became a mainstay of Lakewood's East End. In 1962, he and an uncle, Joe Sperli, opened the Camelot restaurant on Madison Ave., with medieval trappings and a doorman dressed as a knight in armor.

De Frasia got blueprints of the Bounty from MGM Studios and built the replica with professional help. He took it to Detroit Ave., first to Piccaddily Square, then the Phantasy, now a complex a block long for live rock, dance and more. He often drummed with local bands and hosted national stars like Iggy Pop and Nine Inch Nails there. As of last year, he was still helping many relatives run the place.

Survivors include his wife, the former Diane Winstead; six children and three grandchildren. Craciun Berry handled his arrangements.

Related Stories

How to place an obituary

The Plain Dealer publishes information about deaths in two forms: paid obituaries for which a fee is charged and news obituaries, which are biographical sketches of the deceased, prepared by reporters.

Follow Us

cleveland.com is powered by Plain Dealer Publishing Co. and Northeast Ohio Media Group. All rights reserved (About Us).The material on this site may not be reproduced, distributed, transmitted, cached or otherwise used, except with the prior written permission of Northeast Ohio Media Group LLC.